Signal indicating device for drip-pans.



G. G. MOHLER.

SIGNAL INDIGATING nnvms r03 DRIP nus.

APPLICATION I-ILED OUT. 1, 1909. 1,003,636, Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

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C. 0. MOHLER.

SIGNAL INDIGATING DIBVIGE FOR .DRIP PANS.

APPLICATION FILED OOT. I 1909.

- Patented Sept.'19, 1911.

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WITNESSES 1 I v I 0 Wm wromm. Y

' YCOLUMBIA PLANOGRAF H C0., WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER G. MOHIQER, 0F DAYTON, OI-IIO.-

SIGNAL INDICATING- DEVICE FOR DRIP-FANS.

ing device for drip pans or otherwise eX- pressedan overflow notification means for drip-pans.

Some of the principal objects or purposes of this invention consist in providing a ready and handy means or device(whichis more especially intended and designed for the drip-pan of refrigerators and ice-boxes and which is placed in a convenient position, generally underneath same for catching the waste-water therefrom; and in this connection it is herein illustrated and de scribed) ;-and is intended to prevent the overflow of said waste water as collected in said drip-pan, by giving a signal to call attention thereto: also to show or indicate this condition, thus giving a notification of same. Also, to provide a device of this kind that will be quite efiective in its results; simple in construction; composed of few parts; and one which can be manufactured at a small cost and is therefore quite inexpensive.

My invention consists essentially, referring briefly and in general terms to the construction of my improved signal-indicating de vice for drip-pans, of the pan or waste water receptacle and its float; the trip-lever; the signal and indicator; and the operative mechanism for actuating same; also the other and minor details of construction; and the very peculiar and novel construction and combination of these various mechanical elements or parts as will be hereinafter re ferred to in detail, and set forth in the subjoined claims in accordance with the statutes in such cases made and provided therefor.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention and constituting a formal part of this specification, and wherein the same letters of reference are used to indicate or point out the same parts wherever occurring throughout the several views :Figure 1, is a general view of the device in operative position and connected to a refrigerator,showing the application Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

Application filed October 1, 1909.

Serial No. 520,517.

of my invent-ion. Fig. 2, is a detail view of the signal and indicating means, and the mechanism for actuating same. Fig. 8, is, a detail view of the indicator. Fig. 4:, is a plan view of the drip-pan and float; Fig. 5, is a side view of the float and its guide-pin, partially in section and broken away; and Fig. 6, is a perspective view of the triplever.

In describing my said invention specifically, and referring in detail to the various mechanical parts or elements of construction making up my signal-indicating device for drip-pans by means of the characters of reference as aforesaid ;A, refers to a refrigerator ice-box of any ordinary or preferred style or form of construction provided with the usual small waste-pipe a-or similar outlet,for all wastewater from the ice therein, to flow or drip as it passes therefrom into drip-pan or waste-water receptacle B. Said drip-pan or wastewater receptacle, in practice, may of course be of various styles and sizes according to the style of refrigerator or ice-box it is intended for, but I prefer a style like the one herein shown which is provided with conveniently located handles 5, for readily removing to empty same,without interference with any of the parts. Located within said drip-pan is a float supporting frame consisting of the uprights or standards 0 each connected at one end to the bottom of the drip-pan and at the opposite end to cross-piece (Z, which in turn is connected at each end to said pan or receptacle. Approximately midway the space from cross-piece d and the bottom of the pan, said uprights are connected by a bracebar 6: see Fig. 1. Held in position in the space between cross-piece d and brace-bar c, by means of a guide-pin f, is a float G, which is held in position on said pin by means of nuts g; said float being constructed out of good quality of cork or other light suitable material of a buoyant nature that will float in water, and said guide pin being constructed out of aluminum or other light strong metal and preferably hollow, and fitting loosely in said cross-piece and brace-bar as shown, will permit of said' float rising with the water in said drip-pan as it comes from waste-pipe a. It will here be observed that as said guide-pin fits loosely in said cross-piece and brace-bar, said float in its normal position will rest with its' lowernut g, upon brace-bar 6, thus keeping sald float from contact with the water until said water is about to rise to the top of said pan orreceptacle and operate the device; thereby avoiding the objectionable rotting or decaying of said float, as is the case where said float rests continuously in the water.

As float G rises with the water insaid panwhere said trip-lever is pivotally connected to bracket 'K, being beyond the longitudinal center of said lever, so that its greatest Weight will be at disk h, thus'causin'g said disk through the power of gravitation to always lightly rest or contact withpoint f of said guide-pin; and as said disk end rises, said lever will turn on its fulcrum and,

the opposite end thereof will be depressed see dotted lines Fig. l,-and with it wire pull 7a, which is connected to said lever at Zsaid pull being formed from wire of suitable strength and rigidity,while the opposite end thereof is connected at Z to a trigger or pawl m, fulcrumed at m to a small bracket m projecting from supporting plate or'body M. Said plate or body being provided with small openings or eyes m (see Fig. 2) ,by which it is firmly attached by screws or otherwise to the side of the refrigerator. Said trigger is provided with an actuating spring n, connected at W), to bracket m which allows of said trigger to be operated by pull k, and throws it back into its normal position after being operated, while stops n projecting from the top of this bracket limit the movement of said trigger.

A foot 0 also another foot 0 project respectively from near the center and top of said plate, through which rests and moves hammer arm 0, provided with trip-finger p, to which is secured at 29 the end of arm 79 of movable shield or cover P, while the top end of said arm is bent and has rigidly secured to it the end or top of said hammerarm, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. WVhen hammer arm 0 is raised until its finger g) rests on and is supported by the upper port-ion of the trigger, as shown by dottedlines in Fig. 2, spring 1", which eX- tends around the hammer-arm, between finger p and foot 0 will now be compressed or contracted, and the parts will now be in the position-indicated by solid lines in Fig. 1, and hammer R, will be raised and bear up against'foot 0 and the indicator 8, which is somewhat in the form of a shield, or may be of any suitable shape desired,

and is secured to and supported by foot 0, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, will be hidden behind cover P, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

When the end of trip-lever H to which pull 7c is connected at Z, has been depressed by the action of the float through the rising of the water in the drip-pan, as heretofore fully described, said pull will have operated trigger m, moving its end as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, thus releasing tripfinger p, when spring 7, also being released will now suddenly expand throwing the parts as above described down to the position shown by solid lines in Fig. 2, when hammer R, will strike bell or gong S, connected to foot t, projecting from plate M, and rebound, slightly clearing the bell, through 'the action of the trip-finger in striking bifurcated spring it connected to foot 0 thus giving a clear loud vibrating ring or sound, and at the same time cover P, having moved down from over indicator 8, which now being uncovered and exposed to view, will also indicate to the eye,-the same as the signal of the bell did to the ear,that the drip-pan needs emptying or the water therein will shortly overflow.

In practice it is intended that said indicator be painted red or solne bright color to indicate danger or attention, but of a different color from the refrigerator or the cover P, or of the inclosing casing V, which is extended from the refrigerator to protect the parts, as shown: said cover and easing being preferably of the color of the refrigerator.

If deemed necessary for the purpose of vertically adjusting the trip-lever, also the float according to the depth of the drippan, as found necessary by the space underneath the refrigerator, I place several extra eyes or openings in bracket Ksee Figs. 1, and 6for the fulcrum-pin, and also screw-thread guide-pin fsee Fig. 5. I am well aware of a few patents setting forth devices or attachments intended for a like purpose as mine, but in most of these devices the mechanism is entirely too complicated, and accomplishes the result in a very indifferent manner; also some are provided with an expensive electric equipment; however all of them are entirely different from mine.

Having now described my invention and the construction of my signal-indicating device as set forth in the drawings 5-I claim r The combination in an overflow alarm and indicating signal device; of a suitably formed waste-Water receptacle provided with a supporting frame; a float having the body constructed of material of a buoyant quality', and mounted in said supporting frame; a trip-lever fulcrumed above said water receptacle, and having one end so formed as to be readily actuated by said float; a pull operated by said lever; a spring actuated pawl operated by said pull; an alarm gong; an indicator; a spring actuated hammer-arm provided with a hammer and cover, adapted to sound said alarm gong and uncover or expose said indicator; all

substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I afi iX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHESTER C. MOHLER. Witnesses:

O. H. YAGER, W. S. RHUTOHAMEL.

Copies of this patent'may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

